Patrick Mahomes, the 27-year-old sensation who plies his trade for the Kansas City Chiefs, recently restructured his deal, saving his franchise a staggering $9,600,000 in cap space. As it turns out, it was the GOAT QB Tom Brady who inspired Patrick to settle for a deal which helped his team keep other stars happy.
In a conversation with Sports Illustrated, Mahomes recently shared his admiration for Tom Brady’s unparalleled greatness and revealed how he’s taking cues from the NFL icon’s success. To get a glimpse into Brady’s exceptional mindset, Mahomes sought guidance from none other than Brady’s former teammate, Blaine Gabbert who was the backup for Tom Brady during his time at Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Patrick Mahomes Seeks Wisdom from Tom Brady’s Former Backup Blaine Gabbert
Just months ago, $12 million of Mahomes’ 2023 roster bonus was converted into a signing bonus, creating $9.6 million in much-needed cap space for the Chiefs. Patrick didn’t have any issues in accepting the deal as he was more focussed on retaining a strong core of players in Kansas City, just like what Tom used to do when he was active in the league.
Moreover, Mahomes is striving hard to have the same mindset as Tom Brady going forward in the competition. Apparently, to accomplish this task, Mahomes sought valuable insights from none other than Brady’s former backup, Blaine Gabbert, who recently joined the Chiefs.
In his quest to emulate Brady’s mentality on the field, Mahomes engaged in several discussions with Gabbert. Talking about the same, Patrick told SI.com’s Albert Breer, “Talking to Blaine, who’s been with Tom for the last few years now, to see how advanced Tom was, it’s just knowing that I can get there one day.”
It is quite clear that Patrick Mahomes is determined to elevate his game and master the mental side of football, just as Brady did. “That’s where I want to get to, instead of having to rely on scrambles. That all looks cool, but I want to be able to have the answer even before the snap of the ball,” Mahomes emphasized.
Mahomes is “trying to find a balance” between getting paid fairly while still not taking too much money away from the team. By taking inspiration from Brady and seeking insights from former teammate Blaine Gabbert, Mahomes is on a mission to elevate his game in the 2023 NFL season.
Mahomes Draws Inspiration from Aaron Rodgers
The 2022 Super Bowl MVP hopes to pick up a lot from Aaron Rodgers as well, who has improved his game over time, in addition to studying from Tom Brady. Mahomes agreed that as a quarterback, having a greater understanding of the game is necessary as you gain more experience. He admires Rodgers and appreciates how the seasoned quarterback has changed his style of play throughout the course of his career.
Mahomes told Albert Breer, “You saw it with Aaron Rodgers in this part of his career. When he was younger, he moved around a lot more and ran and made the throws. Now he has the answers before the snap; he doesn’t have to do that type of stuff.”
The Chiefs QB continued, “At the quarterback position, it’s about evolving as your career goes on. I started off as one player. I feel like I’ve already evolved to another, and I feel like I’m about to keep doing that throughout my career.” The young quarterback has his focus on team building while continuously looking for ways to improve his own game.